NASA to Use Tesla Cybertruck for Crew-13 Launch Pad Evacuation in September 2026

NASA plans to use Tesla Cybertruck electric pickup trucks for the first time in the SpaceX Crew-13 mission in September 2026, replacing traditional heavy armored vehicles for launch pad emergency evacuation. The vehicle has been subject to 11 recalls by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drawing attention to the decision.

In previous crewed launch missions, launch pad emergency evacuation was typically handled by military Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. NASA has described these vehicles as "mobile bunkers," with individual doors weighing about 600 pounds, capable of serving as temporary shelters even when stationary. NASA official Richard Jones said that with the Cybertruck, NASA no longer needs to deploy MRAPs and their operators for the Crew-13 mission, avoiding resource conflicts with other missions. SpaceX has already used Cybertrucks for ground transport and evacuation in its own launch operations. Jones said the electric pickups are faster than MRAPs and easier to operate when astronauts are wearing gloves, though their protective capability is not comparable to that of MRAPs.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has claimed the Cybertruck's "armored glass" can withstand baseball-sized hail, but at the vehicle's debut demonstration, the glass shattered on the spot when staff threw a metal ball at the window. Musk later explained that the earlier sledgehammer demonstration on the body had weakened the window. According to Jones, the Cybertrucks used by NASA received no additional reinforcement or structural modifications.

The four astronauts assigned to Crew-13 are NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos astronaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. Under current plans, Crew-13 is scheduled to launch no earlier than September 12, 2026. After arriving at the International Space Station, the Crew-13 members will join Expedition 75, conducting scientific experiments and technology demonstrations in support of future lunar and Mars exploration. Research areas include orbital additive manufacturing, the use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality to assist astronauts with health examinations, and the bioprinting of human tissue in microgravity conditions.